July 4th Playlist 2016: 16 Songs To Help You Celebrate Independence Day

There are few things better than lying by the pool on a hot summer day with a cold drink and music blasting. But what should you play? Sure, you can turn on the radio or shuffle through your iTunes songs, but it's Independence Day. Why not put on a curated list of patriotic songs for July Fourth?

"You can’t go wrong with patriotic music. Everybody loves it," Pennsylvania musician Richard Fries told the Republican Herald recently. "It means a lot to people for their country and it means a lot to people in a personal context also.”

Your options for the holiday weekend range from the classic — think Lee Greenwood — to the contemporary — yes, we're talking about Miley Cyrus. Here are our suggestions for what to listen to Monday, collected from Paste Magazine, Newsmax and Billboard:

Classic:

"The Star-Spangled Banner" by Francis Scott Key

"This Land Is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie

"You're A Grand Old Flag" by George M. Cohan

"Appalachian Spring" by Aaron Copland

"God Bless The U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood

"Yankee Doodle"

"My Country, Tis Of Thee" by Samuel Francis Smith

"1812 Overture" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Contemporary:

"Party In The U.S.A." by Miley Cyrus

"Kids In America" by Kim Wilde

"America A O" by Aaron Carter

"Ragged Old Flag" by Johnny Cash

"American Pie" by Don McLean

"American Boy" by Estelle

"American Girls" by the Counting Crows

"Born In The U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen

And if you're looking for live music, be sure to watch "A Capitol Fourth" on PBS on Monday from 8-9:30 p.m. EDT. The show, which is broadcast live from Washington, D.C., calls itself "the best in American entertainment" and is aimed at helping "set the tone for a spectacular American birthday party," according to its website. This year's concert will include performances by Kenny Loggins, Amber Riley, Gavin DeGraw, Cassadee Pope and Sutton Foster.